My SFContario schedule:

It’s that time again: time for Toronto’s SF crowd to join together in the avoidance of solicitation and the enjoyment of alienation. SFContario is this weekend, November 9-12. Barring any last-minute changes, this is my schedule.

Automaton World Philosophy and mountains of neurological evidence are converging on the same disquieting endpoint: not only is there no such thing as “free will”, but the very idea is logically incoherent. We release a hypersexual pedophile from jail once it’s discovered that his behavior was caused by a brain tumor over which he had no control, while conveniently ignoring the fact that *nobody*, tumor-ridden or healthy, has any control over the way their brains are wired. Does this mean that social systems ranging from religious to legal are all predicated on a logical fallacy? What now? (Madeline Ashby, Richard Baldwin, Peter Fitting, Peter Watts) Saturday 11:00 AM Ballroom BC

Kaffeeklatsch – Saturday 12:00 PM Room 207 (I’m sort of surprised to have both a KK and a reading. I don’t know Dave’s schedule, but if he’s available he might be there, too. You could get a two-fer!)

Philosophy and Science Fiction Science, from warp drives to lasers, is an important element in the genre but Science Fiction has also been a place to examine philosophical viewpoints. From the use of Star Trek to raise questions of racial equality to Asimov’s laws of robotics and ethical questions about machines, philosophical issues are intrinsic to science fiction and fantasy. Our panelists look at some of the more interesting philosophical questions in the genre. (Madeline Ashby, Richard Baldwin, Lynna Merrill, Tony Pi, Robert Shearman) Saturday 7:00 PM, Courtyard

Reading – Sunday 10:30 AM Gardenview

As you know Jim… Exposition is never easy. How can a writers communicate the details of a setting, magical system or incredible scientific breakthrough without losing half their audience? What makes a readers eyes glaze over and how do you avoid it? (Madeline Ashby, Danute Dorion, Michael Matheson, Caitlin Sweet) Sunday 11:00 AM, Courtyard

Madeline Ashby…

She has worked with Intel Labs, the Institute for the Future, SciFutures, Nesta, Data & Society, The Atlantic Council, the ASU Center for Science and the Imagination, Changeist, and others. Her essays have appeared at BoingBoing, io9, WorldChanging, Creators Project, Arcfinity, MISC Magazine, and FutureNow. She is the author of the Machine Dynasty novels. Her novel Company Town was a Canada Reads finalist.